Method and apparatus for processing fibrous material



June 27, 1961 G. H. SOWERS EIAL 2,990,004

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed July 12, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS BY Mazda Mm sa y EYS June 27, 1961 G. H. SOWERS EIAL 2,990,004

METHODVAND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed July 12, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS x wya Jaws/a mu! BY flaw/64164 W;

(wk A TrofiiYs United states Patent ()fifice Patented June 27,- 1961 ME'I'HOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FIBROUS MATERIAL George H. Sowers, Spring Hill, Kane, and Edward H.

Colesworthy, Watervliet, N.Y., assiguors, by mesne assignments, to Johns-Mauville Fiber Glass Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 12, 1956, Ser. No. 597,495 6 Claims. (Cl. 15429) This invention relates to the handling and processing of fibers, including the joinder thereof through use of a suitable binder to produce various articles of manu facture such as fibrous mats used as insulation, and other purposes, the primary objects being three fold and of equal importance, i.e., (1)-the provision of improved means for removing the fibers from a Garnett or carding machine, (2) the presentation of an advantageous manner of transferring fibers to a conveyor or other point for further processing or use, and (3) proper admixing of a binder with the fibers during the transferring operations. p I

It is an important object of the present invention to provide an improved means of removing fibers from a. dolfer roll that embodies the use of suction, thereby eliminating combs, brushes and the like heretofore employed for such purpose, and more effectively transfering the fibers, notwithstanding the condition of the fibers as they are fed by the dolfer roll, or the speed of delivery thereof.

An important'object of this invention is to provide for continuous advancing or transfer of the fibers from the point of removal from the doffer roll to a point of delivery in a' predetermined manner into an air stream for separation of the web of fibers and admixture with a binder contained in such air stream.

Another important object of the instant invention is top'rovide for a forced air system of removal of the fibrous web from the transfer apparatus whereby the fibers are loosened and deranged into a disorderly pattern whereby the individual fibers of the resulting mat have no predominant lay, thereby eliminating cleavage and lamination.

A further object of the present invention is to provide for more intimate bonding of the fibers in the finished article by utilization of an improved means for introduction of the binder thereinto, all through the employment of means for intimately feeding the binder into the air stream and keeping it thoroughly and evenly distributed throughout such air stream prior to use of the latter in removing the fibers from the transfer apparatus and blowing the same into space for collection by a conveyor or the like It is an aim of this invention to employ a suitable blower for creating and directing artificial currents of air to the fibrous mat and to introduce the binder at the air inlet of the blower whereby the latter thoroughly admixes the binder in the air stream before the air and the binder contact the fibers themselves.

A further aim of ourpresent invention is to combine in a unitary, inexpensive, compact system, means for creating suction and producing a forced air stream through use of a single blower, whereby to remove the fibers from the dofier roll and deposit the same on a conveyor or the like in one continuous operation.

A still further aim of the instant invention is to provide a suction head and a pressurehead coupled with the air inlet and air outlet respectively of the blower to remove the fibrous mat from the dolfer roll throughout the length thereof in an'eflicient and effective manner and to provide for a uhiform'flow'of'air through the mat as it is advanced to a point of delivery whereby the fibers of the mat are all adequately subjected to the force of the air stream, thereby readily splitting into a plurality of directions to the end that as the fibers admix with the binder and trained within the air stream there is a maximum value of cohesion and a total absence of Stratification.

Other objects include the way in which the suction is drawn from both ends of the suction head and the way in which pressure is directed into both ends of the pressure head whereby to produce a state of turbulence vw'th in both heads and eliminating a quiescent condition of such fluid at any point throughout the lengths of the heads; the provision of means for increasing the extent of pressure within the pressure head without affecting the amount of suction that is being drawn from the suction head by the blower; the way in which damper means is provided within the suction line of the system for controlling the extent of suction or vacuum within the suction head; the way in which a continuously rotating foraminous drum is provided in surrounding relationship to the aforementioned heads for receiving the mat from the doifer roll and transferring the same to a point of distribution by the forced air stream;,the way in which the system eliminates problems heretofore experienced with respect to static electricity; the manner of adapting the system for humidification of the fibers as they are distributed unevenly on the receiving conveyor; and many more minor objects including important details of construction to be made clear or become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of apparatus for processing fibrous material made according to our present invention and adapted for use in carrying out the novel method hereinafter described, showing such apparatus with the overhead spray nozzles and the conveyor for receiving the fibers entirely removed;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of such apparatus; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical cross sectional view taken on line IIlIll of FIG. ,1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The nature and purpose of carding or garnetting machines employed in the field to which the instant invention relates is well known by those skilled in the art. Fibers fed through a machine of such character are combed and aligned into substantially parallel relation ship and as the same emanate from the pronged doffer roll of the machine there is presented a mat or blanket that is relatively dense, substantially homogeneous and clearly directionalized so far as the lay of the fibers themselves is concerned.

For the most part, conventional apparatus and methods of removing the blanket from the differ roll and depositing the same on a traveling conveyor or the like for subsequent processing are incapable of eliminating the resultant Stratification but, more important, such methods do not provide for satisfactory admixing of the binder with the fibers so that final bonding thereof is of such nature to present a strong yet flexible, easily handled, finished article of manufacture.

Except for doffer roll 10 shown schematically in the drawings, the aforementioned Garnett machine is not illustrated since the same forms no part of the instant invention and the apparatus about to be described is capable of use with virtually any type of machine of that character wherein the fibrous Web or blanket emanates from the machine in a continuous sheet. Assuming, therefore, that the dofier roll 10 normally rotates counterclockwise, viewing FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, there is provided in the apparatus of the instant invention a continuously rotating, elongated, foraminous transfer drum 12 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis in parallelism with the axis of rotation of the dofl'er roll and in a clockwise direction, viewing FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The elongated cylindrical transfer drum 12 is therefore provided with a plurality of perforations 14 throughout the length and circumference thereof and the ends of the drum 12 are preferably open. 'Drum 12 is carried by a suitable frame 16 through the medium of a pair of sets of rollers 18 and 20 at the ends of the drum 12. Drum 12 is therefore floatingly carried by the rollers 18 and 20 which engage tracks or wear plates 22 and 24 respectively suitably flanged to cooperate with the rollers 18 and 20 in preventing endwise or longitudinal movement of the drum 12 with respect to the frame 16.

' The tracks 22 and 24 may well form a part of sheaves or pulleys 26 and 28 respectively that surround the drum 12 adjacent the ends thereof and receive endless belts 30.

. The belts 30 pass around smaller pulleys 32 on a shaft 34 carried by the frame 16 for rotation on a horizontal axis parallel with the axes of rotation of the roll 10 and the drum 12. An electric motor or other prime mover 36 carried by the frame 16 is operably coupled with the shaft 34 through belt and pulley means broadly designated by the numeral 38.

. Frame 16 is provided with suitable supports 40 for a suction head 42 and a pressure head 44, both of which are disposed within the drum 12 extending longitudinally of the latter and coextensive in length therewith. The heads 42 and 44 may be substantially identical as shown and are in the nature of elongated tubes that are split longitudinally thereof and provided with opposed wiper blades 46 and 48 respectively in sliding engagement with the inner surface of the drum 12. It is to be preferred that the blades 46 and 48 be made from suitable resilient material and be spaced apart whereby the perforations 14 of the drum 12 successively move into communication with the heads 42 and 44 as the drum 12 is rotated.

While a vacuum within the suction head 42 and a pressurized condition within the pressure head 44 may be produced in any suitable manner, it is to be preferred that such results be attained through employment of a single blower 50 having its fluid inlet coupled with the head 42 and its fluid outlet communicating with the head 44. To this end, therefore, the inlet of the blower 50 is provided with a suction line 52 that extends laterally therefrom as best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings, and thence along the lower rearmost portion of the frame 16 in an elongated branch 54. The branch 54 is placed into communication with both ends of the head 42 through the medium of a pair of conduits 56 and 58, best seen in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

Similarly, the outlet of the blower 50 is provided with an upstanding pressure line 60 that extends laterally in an elongated branch 62 which is in turn connected with both ends of the pressure head 44 through the medium of a pair of conduits 64 and 66. i 7 Alternate means is illustrated for introduction of a suitable binder into the air stream and in the event that such binder or other substance to be admixed with the fibers takes the form of a granular material, it is to be preferred that such substance be introduced into the suction line 52 or at any point leading to the intake of the blower 50. To this end, therefore, there is illustrated a feeder for such granular material broadly designated by the numeral 68. It is to be understood that the feeder 68 may be of conventional character including a hopper 70 for the material together with a metering device (not shown) operated through use of a motor or other prime mover 72. Such feeder 68 is provided with adjusting characteristics capable of predetermining the amount of material that is fed into the suction line primarily by gravity after the same is discharged by the meter itself and, secondarily, through the force of the suction that is created within the line 52.

By way of illustration, therefore, a flexible tube 74 connected with the outlet of the feeder 68 communicates directly with the line 52 or the branch 54 thereof as seen in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

oftentimes it may be necessary or desirable to vary the pressure of fluid Within the head 44 and emanating from the blower 50 without affecting the extent of vacuum within the head 42. Accordingly, there is provided an air inlet within the suction line '52 at any point desired ahead of the intake of the blower 50 which may be manually controlled by a suitable valve such as arslide gate 76, illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

By the same token it may be desirable or necessary to vary the extent of suction within the head 42 without adversely affecting the pressure of fluid in head 44 and, therefore, there is provided a valving means-that may take the form of a conventional damper 78 (see FIG. 3) within the branch 54 and preferably disposed between the head 42 and the point of introduction of the granular material into the branch 54 by feeder 68. The gate or damper 78 may be manually controlledby actuation of a pointer 80 operably connected therewith and slidable along a scaled plate 82 carried by the branch 54.

The secondary means for introducing a binder or other material into the fibers and usable preferably when such material is in the nature of a solution or liquid state consists of a manifold 84 having a plurality of discharge nozzles 86 spaced throughout the length thereof and disposed above and to one side of the drum .12 for directing the material 88 to the fibers emanating from the drum 12. The manifold 84 may be supported in any suitable manner not illustrated and the substance 88 that is to be introduced to the fibers may be supplied to the manifold 84 through a supply tube 90.

It is to be preferred that the mat or blanket emanating from the -doifer roll 10 and transferred to the drum 12 be carried from the head 42 to the head 44 in a uniform manner until such time as the air emanating from the head 44 blows the fibers into space from the drum 12. Accordingly, a roller 92 coextensive in length with the drum 12 rests thereon by its inherent weight adjacent the head 44. The roller 92 may be spring loaded if desired and is carried by a pair of arms 94 swingably mounted on the frame 16. a

The structure for receiving the fibers from the drum 12 and carrying the same to a point of subsequent processing or use forms no part of the instant invention, therefore, there is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings a conventional lforaminous belt 96 carried by a hollow housing 98, that, in turn, contains suitable blower means 100 for producing a suction and drawing the fibers to the belt 96 as they emanate from the drum 12 and gravitate toward the conveyor 96. a It is seen from the foregoing, therefore, that the method of the instant invention includes the feeding of the fibers to a transfer apparatus or, conversely, the removal of the fibers from a Garnett machine or other advancing mechanism and includes further as an important step of the process, transferring the fibers from the point of removal from the doffer roll to a point of discharge into an air stream. The air stream is utilized first for the purpose of deranging the fibers from the initial directional lay thereof and equally import-ant for the purpose of intimately admixing a binder or other material therewith.

Consequently, the method contemplates spraying the material 88 into the air stream emanating from the pressure head 44 but it is to be preferred, preferably if such material is in a granular form, to introduce the same into the air stream ahead of the inlet of the blower 50.

As the fibrous blanket is fed to the transfer drum 12 by the pronged or fingered dot fer roll 10, which incidentally is in close proximity tothe drum 12, the suction created within the head 42 etfectivelyand uniformly removes the blanket 'fi'OQl the doffer roll and transfers the same to the outer surface of the drum 12. It is to be noted that by virtueof the coutinl Q fi rotation of drum 12 clockwisqviewing' FIG. 3, the perforations 14 SUCCBS? sively move into communication with the head 42 between the wiper blades 46 thereof. After the blanket has thus been effectively stripped from the doifer roll 10 it is carried upwardly and forwardly by the drum 12 to a position where it is discharged immediately below the roller 92, the latter operating to maintain the blanket on the outer surface or the drum 12 until'siich time as the air emanating from the head 44 blows the fibers into space and, accordingto the disclosure chosen for illustration, into the air stream created by the suction blower 100 which'moves toward the surface of the conveyor facing the drum 12.

While the blanket tends to remain in such condition as it moves from the head 42 to the head 44 lying flatly against the outer surface of the drum 12, additional holding means similar to roller 22, which may be spring loaded if desired, may be provided between the heads 42 and 44. Such holding means may well be necessary or desirable particularly if the heads 42 and 44 are disposed in other arrangements differing from the diametrically opposed relationship thereof illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

As soon as the blanket moves to a point proximal to the head 44 the fluid emanating therefrom and passing through the perforations 14 of the drum 12 will remove the blanket from the drum 12 and blow the fibers forwardly and outwardly to a point where the same gravitate in haphazard relationship through the air to the conveyor 96 and are pulled thereagainst in mat form by the suction created by the blower 100.

Simultaneously the binder emanating from the feeder 68 and passing through the blower 50 is forced from the head 44, through the perforations 14 and into the fibers as they fall to the conveyor 96. In this respect, it is to be stressed that the binder passing through the suction line 52 and into the blower 50 is intimately intermixed with the air or other fluid being pulled by the blower and furthermore, the binder remains entrained within the pressurized fluid in the head 44, eliminating any tendency of the binder to cling to any surfaces within the suction line or the pressure line, within the head 44 or on any part of the drum 12. Such entrainment of the binder within the air stream assures that the said binder will flow evenly and properly through the perforations 14 and distribute evenly through the fibers emanating from the drum 12 adjacent the outlet of head 44. Due to the even distribution of binder throughout the fibers, the mat which is built up on the conveyor 96 will be thoroughly impregnated with resin throughout the depth thereof.

The importance, therefore, of directing the fluid emanating from blower 50 into head 44 at both ends thereof, thereby creating a suflicient turbulent condition within the head 44 and maintaining the binder entrained within the air can now be fully understood. Similar results are produced by virtue of the fact that the suction head 42 communicates with the inlet of blower 50 at both ends of the head 42. The difiiculties experienced in this field by virtue of static electricity are eliminated since the suction head 42 extending the entire length of the drum 12 effectively removes all of the fibers from the doffer roll and transfers the same to the form of a blanket on the outer surface of drum 12.

In many instances, depending in part upon the nature of the fibrous mat emanating from the dofier roll 10, the speed of rotation of the latter, and other factors, it may be unnecessary to utilize the entire suction capabilities of the blower 50 while at the same time a high degree of pressure may be needed within the head 44 to effectively distribute the fibers on the conveyor 96. This desired condition may be effected by adjustment of the damper 78 to cut down the amount of suction within head 42. By the same token, if a higher rate of flow is desired through the head 44, it is but necessary to adjust the gate 76 to admit more or less atmospheric air into the suction.

the fact that the fibersthemselves are arranged in a hap hazard manner, crossing one another in a plurality of directions. An import-ant feature of the invention also lies in the Way in which the binder is properly admixed with the fibers so that each point of intersection becomes intimately bonded and the resultant mat has strength characteristics not made possible through use of conventional apparatus or methods heretofore suggested.

We claim:

1. Fiber transfer apparatus comprising a rotatable, foraminous drum; blower means having an air inlet open to the ambient atmosphere and an air outlet open to the ambient atmosphere; a suction head within the drum for drawing fibers to the outer surface of the drum; a pressure head extending through the drum, a conduit connecting said pressure head with said air outlet for blowing the fibers away from the dnmi after they have rotated with the drum a predetermined distance and means connected to said air inlet for introducing a granulated binder into said air inlet for simultaneous admixture with the fibers as they are blown from the drum.

2. Fiber transfer apparatus comprising a rotatable, foraminous drum; blower means having an air inlet and an air outlet; a suction head extending through the drum and connected at opposed ends thereof with said air inlet for drawing air from the ambient atmosphere through said drum thereby carrying fibers to the outer surface of the drum; and a pressure head extending through the drum and connected at opposed ends thereof with said air outlet for blowing air to the ambient atmosphere thereby carrying the fibers away from the drum after they have rotated with the drum a predetermined distance and means connected to said air inlet for introducing a granulated binder into said air inlet for simultaneous admixture with the fibers as they are blown from the drum.

3. In apparatus for producing a bonded fibrous mat having fibers arranged in a haphazard manner from a mat having directionalized fibers, a rotatable foraminous drum, blower means having an air inlet and an air outlet, a suction head extending through said drum and connected at opposed ends thereof with said air inlet for drawing air from the ambient atmosphere through the drum thereby drawing the directionalized fibers to the outer surface of said drum, a pressure head extending through said drum and connected at opposed ends thereof with said air outlet for producing a turbulence in air emitted from said pressure head haphazardly blowing the directionalized fibers away from the drum after they have rotated with said drum a predetermined distance, said suction head and said pressure head comprising substantially identical elongated split tubes which are generally coextensive in length with said drum, and binder supply means connected to the inlet of said blower means whereby turbulent air exiting from said blower outlet contains binder intimately mixed therewith for simultaneously coating the fibers as they are blown from the drum 7 tern, and means connected to said air inlet for introducing a granulated binder into said air inlet whereby said binder is thoroughly mixed with the air before contacting said fibers i, V

5. In a method of making a bonded fibrous mat, the steps of combing fibers to align them in a substantially parallel relationship, collecting the aligned fibers on the surface of a rotating mechanism by passing an air stream therethrough, thoroughly mixing a granular binder in the air stream after it has passed through the surface of the mechanism, removing the fibers from the mechanism by directing the air stream containing the thoroughly mixed binder through said fibers to disrupt said fibers into haphazard relationship and simultaneously thoroughly subject all fibers to the air stream andbinder, and then drawing the fibers into contact with one another in mat form. V 6. In a method of making a bonded fibrous mat of haphazardly arranged fibers, the steps of collecting directionalized aligned fibers on a moving surface, loosening and deranging the fibers into a disorderly randomly arranged .pattern by directing a turbulent air stream con- 8 taining a thoroughly mixed granular binder therethrough thereby thoroughly admixing the binder withthe fibers simultaneously with their removal, conveying the fibers away from the moving surface in the binder laden air stream, and then drawing the randomly arranged fibers into contact with one another in the form of a mat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,280,863 Saunder Oct. 8, 1918 1,521,911 Skillins Jan. 6, 1925 2,023,273 Leguillon Dec. 3, 1935 2,152,901 Manning Apr. 4, 1939 2,383,849 Davies Aug. 28, 1945 2,450,916 Cross et al. Oct. 12, 1948 2,477,675 Wilson et al Aug. 2, 1949 2,629,969 Peyches Mar. 3, 1953 2,746,894 Orser et al. May 22, 1956 2,753,598 Slayter July 10, 1956 2,811,195 Kloss Oct. 29, 1957 

